Datai
Herbivore·Late Cretaceous·Jiangxi Province, China·Quadrupedal
Datai is an extinct genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, discovered in Jiangxi Province, China. This genus is known from articulated skulls and partial skeletons of two individuals, representing different stages of immaturity. The fossils were found in the Zhoutian Formation and are housed at the Yingliang Stone Natural History Museum.
Key Facts
- ›Datai is an ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of China.
- ›It is known from two articulated skulls and partial skeletons.
- ›The type species is Datai yingliangis.
- ›Fossils were discovered in 2016 in the Zhoutian Formation.
- ›The genus name 'Datai' combines Chinese words for 'understand' and 'stable'.
- ›The species name 'yingliangis' honors the Yingliang Group.
- Possessed articulated skulls.
- Partial skeletons indicate it was an ankylosaurid.
- Likely had a tail club, suggested by ossified tendons around caudal vertebrae.
- Osteoderms were also found with the specimens.
Pinacosaurus
China
About Datai
Datai is an extinct genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur that roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period. The genus is known from the Zhoutian Formation in Jiangxi Province, China, where fossils were discovered in 2016. The type species, Datai yingliangis, is named in recognition of the Yingliang Group, which houses the specimens.
Discovery and Naming
The fossil material of Datai was unearthed in 2016 and later acquired by the Yingliang Stone Natural History Museum. Two specimens, representing different stages of immaturity, were found articulated. These fossils include skulls, partial skeletons, and osteoderms. The genus was formally described in 2024 by Xing et al. The generic name, 'Datai', is a combination of Chinese words signifying understanding and stability, while the specific epithet honors the institution that preserved the fossils.
Classification and Physical Characteristics
Datai belongs to the Ankylosauridae family, a group of armored, herbivorous dinosaurs. Phylogenetic analyses suggest Datai may be a basal ankylosaurine or a sister taxon to Pinacosaurus. The known remains include articulated skulls and partial skeletons, with evidence from ossified tendons around caudal vertebrae suggesting the presence of a tail club. Osteoderms, characteristic of ankylosaurids, were also recovered with the specimens.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of dinosaur was Datai?
Datai was an ankylosaurid dinosaur, a group of armored herbivores. It lived during the Late Cretaceous period.
Where were the Datai fossils found?
The fossils of Datai were discovered in the Zhoutian Formation in Mazhou, Huichang County, Jiangxi Province, China. They were found in 2016.
How many specimens of Datai are known?
Two specimens of Datai are known, both representing different ages of immaturity. These fossils include articulated skulls and partial skeletons.
What does the name Datai mean?
The genus name 'Datai' is derived from the Chinese words 'tongda' (to understand/to be sensible) and 'antai' (stable). The species name 'yingliangis' recognizes the Yingliang Group.
What geological period did Datai live in?
Datai lived during the Late Cretaceous epoch.
Related Dinosaur species
Antarctosaurus
Antarctosaurus was a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period in South America. The genus is known from several species, though many are considered dubious due to fragmentary remains and taxonomic confusion. The type species, Antarctosaurus wichmannianus, is estimated to have reached about 17 meters in length, while Antarctosaurus giganteus, though poorly known, represents one of the largest dinosaurs ever discovered.
Achelousaurus
Achelousaurus was a large centrosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that roamed North America during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 77 to 74.8 million years ago. Characterized by its large head, bony neck frill with long spikes, and distinctive bosses above its eyes and on its snout instead of horns, Achelousaurus is believed to have been a herbivore. Its fossils have been found in Montana, and it is considered a transitional form between earlier and later ceratopsid species.
Aeolosaurus
Aeolosaurus was a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous Period. Characterized by a long neck and tail, it was a quadrupedal herbivore. The genus is well-represented, with remains from several individuals belonging to at least two species, though no skull material has been recovered.